Energy Drinks: Deceptive?

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Once again, energy drinks have been stealing headlines for the wrong reasons. As the Wall Street Journal reports, energy drinks—shots and full-sized—have come under the scrutiny of New York's attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, who is investigating their health claims. Schneiderman suspects energy drink marketers of deception. So does the Good Housekeeping Research Institute's Director of Nutrition, Samantha Cassetty, R.D.

"There's nothing special about energy drinks," says Samantha. "The blend of B vitamins and amino acids these beverages contain are important in cell metabolism, but most people don't have trouble getting these nutrients in their diets. And there's no good science to suggest that getting more than you need will provide an additional boost."

Instead, the boost comes from an avalanche of caffeine. Energy drink shots contain between 150 and 210mg of caffeine; a cup of coffee has 100mg or so, and a cup of tea has 50mg or less, the number varying with the tea leaves. The effect of caffeine is known. It wakes you up. Essentially, the energy in an energy drink comes from a huge dose of caffeine.

Too often the labeling on energy drinks, however, claims the drinks get their kick from plants (ginseng) and nutrients (B vitamins). These claims give Schneiderman pause. He believes, as Samantha does, that energy drinks aren't getting their energy from special sources, but from the same source as coffee. There have been calls for the FDA to more closely regulate energy drinks, and the loudest ask for energy drinks to display their total caffeine on the label.

Samantha recommends that, instead of energy drinks, you "turn to the kettle or brew up some coffee. Coffee and tea naturally contain caffeine, and both drinks have antioxidants that are associated with some surprising health perks, which you can read about here."